Gudlevskis wins NHL debut as TB tops Columbus 3-2

Published: Friday, April 11, 2014 at 10:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 11, 2014 at 10:48 p.m.

TAMPA - A wily veteran and some kids got the Tampa Bay Lightning into a better playoff position.

Eric Brewer scored twice in the second period and Kristers Gudlevskis made 36 saves in his NHL debut as the Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 in a matchup of playoff-bound teams Friday night at the Times Forum.

With the win in their home finale, the Bolts (45-27-9) need Montréal to lose in regulation at home to the New York Rangers to secure home ice against the Canadiens. The Blue Jackets (42-32-7) will need some help to overtake Philadelphia for third in the Metropolitan Division.

Both teams elected to start their current backup goaltenders. Gudlevskis became the first goalie to play in the ECHL, AHL, the Olympics and the NHL in the same season.

The 21-year-old Latvian said Thursday he was not quite ready for the NHL. He sure looked like it.

The teams traded power-play goals in the second period. Ondrej Palat took an Alex Killorn pass off a Jackets skate and slipped it past Curtis McElhinney at 3:55.

Columbus answered when Boone Jenner redirected a Jack Johnson shot at the right post at 13:46. Gudlevskis had no chance to stop that.

It stayed tied for 68 seconds. Cedric Paquette, also making his NHL debut, won the puck back to Brewer, who fooled McElhinney with a hard wrister from the left point.

Brewer made it 3-1 on another shot that McElhinney could not handle. It went off the shoulder of the Jackets netminder and fell behind him into the net.

David Savard one-timed a Jenner pass over Gudlevskis' blocker withi 3:23 left, but the Jackets could not get the equalizer.

Gudlevskis made four saves in one sequence on a Columbus power play in the first. He also made four key stops on shorthanded chances by Columbus.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.